1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an adjustable mounting assembly for mounting a saw head to a tractor. The adjustable mounting assembly allows the saw head to be easily mounted to several different types of tractors and allows the saw head to be mounted to a particular tractor in a number of different initial positions.
2. Background Art
Saw heads containing circular saw blades for cutting down trees are mounted on the front end of tractors, e.g., rubber tire feller bunchers and crawler type feller bunchers. The saw heads have mounting brackets welded onto a base of the saw head.
Attached to the front of the rubber tired feller buncher are right and left lift arms and a central link member. The orientation of the distal ends of the lift arms and link member dictates the size and placement of the mounting brackets on the saw head. The relative position of the distal ends of the lift arms and the distal end of the central link member are different for each manufacturer's tractor.
To mount a saw head to the tractor, the distal end of each of the boom or lift arms is placed between and secured to the mounting brackets and a distal end of the central link member is placed between and secured between flanges on a central vertical member of the saw head.
When the proper size mounting brackets are welded in proper position on a saw head to make the saw head ready for mounting to a particular manufacturer's tractor, the saw head cannot be mounted to a different manufacturer's tractor. To use the saw head on a different tractor, different size mounting brackets must be used and they must be properly positioned on the saw head. In order to do this, the initial mounting brackets must be cut off and the new mounting brackets must be welded on to the saw head in proper position to fit the particular dimensional requirements of the new tractor's arms.
Furthermore, with the welded-on mounting brackets, the saw head can be mounted to the machine in only one initial position with respect to the ground. In order to optimize performance of the saw, it is desired to keep the saw blade horizontal at all times while cutting. The tilt capability of tractors is limited and is not enough to keep the saw blade horizontal on steeply inclined or declined terrain.